Chapter 1I walk into school and the hallway is even more crowded than usual. My boisterous school mates all seem to be whispering excitedly to the other making it seem like I'm the only one not in on some inside joke. Where are my manners? My name is Cora Kinsley and I'm a high school senior at Crestview Academy. I live with my parents and two siblings; an older brother and a younger one. Yep. I'm the middle child. Aaanyway. I make my way over to my locker to get the books I'll need for homeroom when I feel someone pull my bag from behind me, until my back is flush against them. "Good morning Cora!" A deep but cheerful voice greets me. "Would that if it were, Tony. And let go of my bag please.""No can do!" Tony replied, his voice still cheerful. I sigh. Seriously, how can anyone be so cheerful on a Monday morning? And I tell him so.Although out of sight, I imagine Tony's grinning. "Well, the thought of seeing you fuels me with energy, you know. That and a lot of coffee."I s
The thing about me is that I've never had a lot of interest in boys my age. Not that I don't swing that way, I do, but I just feel like they're too much of a hassle to actively pursue. I couldn't tell if I was more surprised by his looks or how I reacted to it.I try as much as possible to not make eye contact with him, even though I could see him from my peripheral vision, instead I try to focus on what Principal Mathews was saying. "...and after a month, I think Mr Thorsen would be capable enough to get through school by himself," Principal Mathews finished. "Alright then..sir. Just a month.""So, I do believe your first period class has already started. Please take a note from Mrs Givens to explain where you've been…and I believe Mr Thorsen is also headed the same way, so please show him to class."I nod at the principal respectfully before exiting the office and going to the secretary's desk. I don't even look back to see if 'Mr Thorsen' is following. He wasn't. I take the no
I walk into the class first, and I see a stern cross on Mr Rogers' face. Theo walks in behind me and stops. At his entrance, the students murmur in the background fades to a hush and everyone's eyes are on us. Well, I suppose he does look…striking. Mr Rogers was not amused though. "Do you care to explain why you were late for class, Miss Kinsley?" "Yes sir, well..I was called to the principal's office just before I got to class," I answered, offering up the note. Mr Rogers takes the note and scans through it. "So who's your friend?""We're not friends," Theo and I say at the same time. Theo clears his throat before explaining. "I'm Theodore Thorsen and I just transferred here. Cora was sent to the principal's office to fetch me."Mr Rogers looked confused. "Fetch you..?" "Yeah. I was having trouble with my class schedule too, so.."Mr Rogers looked like he was still confused but decided not to push the matter. "Right. Welcome to Crestview, Theodore. I hope you enjoy it here."The
I hopped down the base of the pillar when the crowd had begun to thin out. I don't think I can assume he went home, can I? Okay Cora, calm down. I can't just keep searching blindly..I have to have some kind of a plan. But then again, he never said where he was going when he left the cafeteria. Should I go back to search the cafeteria..?"Cora." A deep voice called behind me. I looked back and there he was. Relief flooded through me, though it was soon replaced with my pent up frustration."Where have you been?" I asked through gritted teeth. Theo looked back, towards the driveway. He wasn't wearing the grey hoodie anymore, and the blue tee shirt looked tighter without it. "I went to the car after I left the cafeteria. I guessed I slept off."I pinched the bridge of my nose. Of course he was sleeping! While I was worrying and looking for him..he was sleeping! I don't know why I bothered looking for him anyway. I can't believe I was actually worried. I managed to control my express
I was woken up by the sound of an incessant, annoying buzzing the next morning, a.k.a my alarm clock. Without bothering to stand up, I reached for the desk, my hand searching for the alarm clock and putting it off when I found it. I stretched, stifling a yawn with the back of my hand while climbing out of bed. I looked out the window and saw a blanket of white filling the driveway and the streets. Seems like it snowed overnight. If only it were heavy enough to cancel school..but that's just wishful thinking. I head to the bathroom to brush and change out of my sleep wear and after, I walk downstairs to get myself some breakfast before I go to school. When I got downstairs though, it was as deserted as it was yesterday. Maybe mom and dad didn't eventually come back last night. My mom's a nurse and my dad's a lawyer, so them pulling all nighters isn't really uncommon. As much as I liked being alone, the quietness was a stark contrast to what I was used to. Wonder if Catty came
I was trapped between him and the wall of the (very cramped) closet. Even though it was sorta dark (the lights were on but were flickering), I didn't miss the dangerous gleam in his eyes flicking from my eyes to my lips, or what it meant…and even if I didn't, the way he was leaning towards me made it pretty clear what was going to happen next. The whole situation might have been exciting, if he wasn't my friend Hailey's boyfriend. How did I get into this? Good question. And to answer it, we have to go back a few days earlier: It turned out my little stunt or prank (or whatever you wanted to call it) with Theo had made it's way around the school, surrounding me with unwanted attention. It really was annoying. Especially when you factor in the fact that Theo started it first. Yes, I know how petulant that sounds. But still. I'm probably just going to keep my head down for a while, before his fan girls decide to tear me into shreds. Speaking of which..A couple of girls were standi
Okay, so I know I had a really cool quip moment with the whole 'I'll be there' thing but it's easier said than done. Yes. I mean clothes. Hailey was at my place on Saturday afternoon to help me get ready. My mom had surprisingly (almost enthusiastically) agreed to me going to a party. The same couldn't be said about my wardrobe though. Hailey was looking through my closet getting more exasperated each second. Hailey sighed, turning to face me. "Do you happen to have any clothes that aren't maybe merch related or have cats on them?""Can't say that I do.""Right. What was I expecting..?" Hailey groaned. "See? It's sorta your fault for having high expectations from my closet," I said proudly. "You know the saying, 'if it isn't comfortable, stash it away in an old traveling bag.'"Hailey's eyes widened in realization and flew back to the closet, and I was hot on her heels.This is on me for being very specific at odd times. Hailey got the upper hand eventually and opened the bag fu
I pulled my hoodie over my head as I walked into school on Monday. Saturday had been..new, fun, exciting and very scary. But now it's over and I need to to my head in the game. Normally Hailey's supposed to be my guide on all the social things I'm incapable of but currently she's involved in the problem so I can't exactly ask her for help. As I walk down the hallway, I see Xavier Brown and his friends; a.k.a. the other people I was playing truth and dare with but would never recognize me because I literally have no social standing (and maybe because I look different with makeup on). Though I can't say I blame them. I hardly recognize most of them either, since Hailey made me take off my glasses and the basement was pretty dark. I look over at them again for some reason. It was probably just a game to them, right? Or maybe it was just a game and I'm the one taking this too seriously. Just as I was about to look away, me and Xavier made eye contact. I could see his eyes flash with
The pulse of music hit me like a physical force as I approached Theo’s front door. The repetitive bass was on the inside with a steady, hypnotic rhythm, and even though I was outside, it muffled the city noise behind me. The house was buzzing with voices, the noise being the result of the conversation, laughter, and even voices going from one side to another which raced my heart up to the chest.I paused at the end of the little road, the pale light coming through the windows painted the yard in a soft hue and made it glow. The cold, empty atmosphere outside was very much a contrast to this. I could see curtains moving, shadows of people who were dancing and talking, living without the weight that I felt like an iron blanket pushing down on me.After taking in the situation for a second, I felt my lungs pull in the air before I crept closer. Just then the door gave way slightly, with the golden bordered opening all set for a welcome. As I opened it I got hit by a tidal wave of heat
My heart thudded like a trapped bird against her ribcage as I sat in the sterile, cold waiting room. The faint hum of the fluorescent lights above buzzed in my ears, blending with the sterile smell of disinfectant. My mother sat next to me, a silent pillar of resolve. She glanced at me, eyes sharp, no emotion reflecting in them.“It’s for the best, Cora,” my mother said, her voice steady but lacking warmth.I nodded absently, fingers twisting the edge of my sweater. The room felt tight, pressing in around me as if the air was thinning. When the nurse called my name, I stood on legs that felt like they could give way at any second. My mother followed, her heels clicking in precise, determined steps.The OBGYN, a woman in her late forties with kind eyes, greeted them with practiced calm. I sat down, feeling the crinkle of the paper on the exam chair beneath her. The doctor spoke gently, going through the necessary questions, her voice a metronome of facts and routine. My mind started to
The end of the week brought a strange sense of nervous excitement for me, (minus the excitement part) knowing the party was just a day away. But it was more than that. Everything was building up, from the ‘heist’ plan’s aftermath to tomorrow. Seems everything was building around tomorrow. Still, I tried to keep myself steady as I sat down with Hailey at our usual spot in the cafeteria.Theo joined us, sliding his tray onto the table just across from me with that effortlessly casual look he always managed. But Hailey’s eyes were sharp, a gleam of mischief practically radiating from her.Hailey raised a brow, glancing between the two of them, before breaking into a grin that practically spelled mischief. "So, Cora," she began, drawing out each word in that knowing tone she always used when she was about to embarrass someone. Namely myself. "I was pretty sure you had a thing with Jin for a hot second there."I looked up, instantly on high alert. “Wait—what?” I managed, blinking. “Me an
I sat at our usual table in the cafeteria, barely picking at my sandwich, my eyes darting between Theo, Hailey, and Jin (I'm not even going to ask what he was doing in the cafeteria of his old school) as I spilled out the details of my situation. Today was the day of that appointment, and the thought alone made my stomach twist.“So, this is it?” Hailey said, leaning in close, her voice dropping to a whisper at the end. “Your mom is really making you go through with… that?”“Unless we can figure out a way to stop her.” I pushed my tray aside, feeling my resolve strengthen. “She’s got it all scheduled out, and once my mom makes up her mind…” I trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid. They all knew what I meant.“So, what’s the plan?” Hailey asked. Her face was all business, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Because I’m assuming you’re not going through with it, right?”Theo leaned back, crossing his arms as he studied me. “Yeah, what’s the plan here, Kinsley? Are you suggesting we stage
I felt sick. Not as in a cold, sick. No, this was something else. A sickness that started somewhere deeper, gnawing at my stomach, tightening my chest. Something more... emotional. No. I couldn’t even call it that because I didn’t–couldn't admit that I felt anything.I wasn’t supposed to care. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything about Catty flirting with Theo. He wasn’t ‘mine’ to feel anything about. But the look on his face, the way he didn’t push her away, didn’t tell her to stop, made something inside me twist in a way I didn’t want to acknowledge.It's sort of frustrating because Theo isn’t even..I'm not even supposed to be having thoughts this way relating to him. Right now, he’s just doing his part of the plan.And Catty? She’s my sister. She’s family. I should want to protect her, even when she’s awful to me, even when she lies. Isn’t that what sisters are supposed to do? So why do I feel this... sharpness in my chest, this burning under my skin every time I think about how clos
I woke up with a dull ache behind my eyes, the kind that came from thinking too hard for too long. I’d barely slept. The memory of yesterday, my outburst at Theo, replayed in her head on a loop. My heart clenched every time I remembered how I’d opened up—raw and exposed—before retreating as fast as I could.Now, sitting at the breakfast table, I picked at my cereal, barely registering the clink of my spoon against the bowl. How the hell was I supposed to face him today? Would things be awkward? I already knew the answer to that. Ugh. I pushed away the bowl of cereal. Would he even mention what happened, or would he act like nothing had changed?Part of me hoped for the latter. Part of me hated how much I cared.---I made my way into school with my head down, eyes focused on the cracks in the sidewalk. The usual hustle and bustle of the morning crowd buzzed around me, but my mind was miles away. I didn’t even notice Theo leaning against the school gate (why was he doing that anyway?
I sat at the kitchen table, my back straight, and my eyes fixed on the textbook in front of me. The house was quieter than usual, my parents moving around in their respective corners like the distant figures they always were. I could hear the faint murmur of her mom’s phone call from the next room, discussing something important about her job, while my dad was out in the backyard, watering the garden.Everything seemed... peaceful. Or at least, it should have been. But beneath the surface, I felt the strain of it all. Like a tightly wound cord that could snap at any time. My mom breezed into the room, glancing at the table where I had spread out my schoolwork. “I see you're really taking your studies seriously these days,” she said without much warmth. “As you should. Keep it up and make us proud like your brother, instead of whatever it was you used to do.”That was it. No nod of approval. No smile, no praise, just the confirmation that I was doing exactly what I should. As expect
My fingers fidgeted with the straps of her bag as she approached the café where Hailey had asked them to meet. I paused outside for a moment, exhaling a shaky breath. The bell above the café door chimed as I walked in, and my eyes quickly scanned the room. Hailey was already seated in a booth near the back, waving me over. Theo sat beside her, looking sinfully gorgeous and as always effortlessly composed, his eyes meeting mine as I walked over. My heart did an unfamiliar, traitorous flutter, and I reminded herself to breathe. I mean it's just Theo. Right?“Hey!” Hailey chirped, her eyes bright with excitement. “Come, sit! We’ve got so much to talk about.”I slid into the booth across from them, trying to act casual, though my mind was still racing. “So… what’s the big plan?” I asked, glancing between Hailey and Theo.Theo gave her a small nod, his calm presence both reassuring and nerve-wracking at the same time. Why was Theo here? Is he a part of this big plan Hailey came up with?
After the most fitful night of sleep ever, I woke up that morning with a sense of dread, you know, the kind that clings to you like a heavy blanket you can’t shake off. The house was quieter than usual, but not the comforting kind. It was the unsettling quiet that hinted something wasn’t right.Of course, I knew what wasn't right. After yesterday, how could I not?I dragged myself out of bed, while feeling profoundly weary, to try to get ready for school even though I felt like shutting myself in for like..ever. I sighed, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, hoping the feeling would recede once I went downstairs and had a shit ton of coffee. Spoiler alert. It didn’t.Mom was already in the kitchen when I got there, a very rare occurrence, and her presence instantly sent a ripple of unease through me. She glanced at me while I was descending the stairs, sipping her coffee, her posture stiff as though bracing herself for a conversation I wasn’t ready for. To be honest, I would've turne